Toyota 86-based hybrid sports coupe may enter production

Reports say the GR HV Sports Concept is slated for production in 2019.

Japanese media is reporting that a new hybrid-powertrain targa-top sports coupe could reach production by 2019.

The car is said to be based on the GR HV Sports Concept shown in October at the Tokyo Motor Show, according to Japanese automotive news site Response. That concept, of course, was itself based on the Toyota 86 sports coupe but was fitted with a different nose and a electric-hybrid powertrain.

The report says thatthe targa top of the concept, reminiscent of the Supra, will make it to production. In addition, the powertrain will be a 2.0-liter gasoline engine mated to a TSH-R ( Toyota Sports Hybrid-Racing) system derived from its TS050 hybrid Le Mans race car. Therefore, more power than the current 205 horsepower is expected.

Interestingly, the article says the 2.0-liter gasoline engine could be the Subaru flat-four that powers the standard Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ, or a BMW inline-four. BMW and Toyota have collaborated on the the next-generation Z4 and an unnamed Toyota sports car, so further component sharing is not out of the question.

Power figures were not disclosed, nor were they specified on the GR HV Sports Concept. In any case, it's not at all clear whether such a model would reach the US market. The article ends with a statement that a Toyota 86-Subaru BRZ replacement will arrive in 2020.